How Many Places Can You Fire the Battleship's 16in Guns From?

In this episode we're talking about the many many places that you can fire the guns from.

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The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the content creator only and may not reflect the views and opinions of the Battleship New Jersey Museum & Memorial, the Home Port Alliance for the USS New Jersey, Inc., its staff, crew, or others. The research presented herein represents the most up-to-date scholarship available to us at the time of filming, but our understanding of the past is constantly evolving. This video is made for entertainment purposes only.

[cphrpunk]

“And lastly, if you stand in front of frame 26, starboard, and tickle the left most steam pipe while reciting “who’s a sexy ship” the ship gets so excited the guns fire.”

[ceberskie]

The worst part is I know when sailors were qualifying for surface warfare they had to be able to recite all the firing mechanisms from memory.

[robertlian]

Ryan did his usual great job. It is important to remember that within each turret the firing keys are basically all in series. When you are in local control (normally the only time the turret firing keys would be active) they all have to be used unless the turret officer bypasses them. He can do that on his indicator panel. So in local control you need the gun layers and train operator to match pointers or respond to verbal commands and when ready they close their keys. The sight setter inputs deflection and angle. The sight trainer closes his key when on target and the sight pointer closes his key normally on the up roll. BANG! Only ever did that once in a live fire training exercise. So while the turret officer has the ultimate control of circuit 1PA (firing circuit) he really has no need of a firing key. In local control the sight pointer is in the best position to fire the gun.
Bob Lian Turret 2 Officer 1981-1984

[KiithnarasAshaa]

I'll clear this up a little bit; each gun can be fired from (with trigger counts):
Forward Main Bat Plot (2)
Aft Main Bat Plot (2)
Forward Sec Bat Plot x2 (4) [Each secondary plotting room has two stable elements and trigger arrays]
Aft Sec Bat Plot x2 (4)
Forward Main Director (1-2) [unclear if the directors have single triggers or separated mode triggers like plotting rooms]
Aft Main Director (1-2)
Conn Tower Main Director (1-2)
Forward Sec Director (1-2)
Stbd Sec Director (1-2)
Port Sec Director (1-2)
Aft Sec Director (1-2)
The individual gun's gun pit, manually (9) [by the gun's Hammer Operator?]
The gun's turret sight setter position, left (3)
The gun's turret sight setter position, right (3)
The gun's turret trainer position (3)
The individual gun's pointer position (9)

For a total of 18 positions and 24-31 triggers able to touch off any individual gun, with a total of 40 firing positions and 46-53 total trigger devices across the entire ship.

[AsbestosMuffins]

the way you tell it, there's bound to be a random closet in the admiral's quarters that has the gun triggers too

[natedetailscars]

So basically the purpose of a battleship (to dump massive rounds down range) will always be preserved in the event of damage.

[phillipbouchard]

Ask Dr. John Scholes - He is the master fire control authority amongst the Museum fleet. He recently filmed a special series of videos with Drachinifel aboard New Jersey while she was in Drydock #3 at Philadelphia. The release date is still to be announced, watch for them on Youtube.

[Metal_Icarus]

Man after so many videos, your presentation has REALLY IMPROVED! Way to keep fighting the good fight!

[KiithnarasAshaa]

The level of redundancy is ideal for gold-plater capital gun ships. They aren't mass-produced, so you want them to survive 999 out of 1000 combat scenarios.

[justinfowler]

Ship Builder: So how many triggers do you want in your ship?

US Government: Yes.

[jamesretired]

As long as you are still afloat you need to be able to fire the guns.

[acidtreat]

This is why Ryan is such an amazing curator! Also, I don't think many more backups are needed. If the lanyards for percussive firing aren't working, then that means no other method of firing would work either. The turret was likely completely knocked out by that point.

[ralphjacobson]

Even a tank has lots of redundancy. The Gunner can fire the gun from triggers on each side of his power control handles, the manual elevation crank, and a "master blaster" manual firing device. The Tank Commander also has a trigger on his Commanders override. Making a total of 5 triggers to fire a tank main gun.

[coldfork]

Hey Ryan! Long time fan of your channel and of the fast battleships. I live close to the USS Alabama and went there recently and was able to go into the plotting room and firing room! There was a volunteer who was working in there and let me walk in and look around which was amazing to see all of the computers, and triggers up close. He also had a bunch of blueprints from the 40s which were also really cool as well. He then told me some of the plans he wants to do like adding a firing simulator like the USS Iowa has. I hope to volunteer with him and help out with preserving the amazing ship. Thanks for posting all of the amazing information, your videos help me out to learn more about these amazing ships and I hope more people in my generation (gen z) gets more interested in the preservation parts of these ships so we can keep them around as long as we can! Thanks again and I hope to be able to visit the New Jersey one day as well :)

[AbbottLindsay]

To know your purpose is to live a life of direction, and in that direction is found peace and tranquillity.

[russellprice]

Awesome job, thank you! The designers of the Iowa class did a phenomenal job, making sure that the ship could take hits and keep on fighting. That was how she carried out her reason for being, thanks to her courageous, well-trained and dedicated crew. Thank you to all those souls that served.

[randywise]

They were going to have a blast no matter what.

[busterbeagle]

About 15 years ago, my wife and I were standing on the Missouri in about 2 1/2 weeks, my wife and I are gonna be standing on the New Jersey. I hope to see you Ryan

[jshome]

If there are 48 triggers to fire the main battery. Were they all active all the time, or was there mechanism to select which trigger was active?

[Reuben-ny]

What amazing pieces of equipment those ships were.